Breathing Deeply and Spitting in the Wind

One of my most used and effective tools in maintaining my own emotional sobriety is breathing deeply. Really. When I am stressed, feeling fear, wanting to react or am at a loss for words in a conversation, I remind myself to breathe and breathe deeply. Can it be this simple? Well, breathing deeply takes practice and awareness but once mastered, breathing deeply can actually be used in a variety of circumstances with quite positive results or at least to avoid negative consequences.

Here are a few of the ways in which breathing deeply first really comes in handy:

*right before I ram the driver ahead of me who just pulled out in front with no signal in fast moving traffic

* right before I take the glass of water I am drinking and throw it in my partner's face to jar him from his defensive posture

*right before I sit to meditate for a moment of spiritual connection and allow the many to do list items to run through my brain

These are just a few examples of how simply breathing deeply will assist me in maintaining or at times, recapturing my emotional composure so that I am able to choose my responses to a situation rather than be at the cause of my reactions. When I notice I am not breathing deeply, it is a signal to me that I may be overworked, overwrought or overanxious. Again, reminding myself to breathe deeply becomes a grounding and connection experience.

What are some situations in which you might find breathing deeply a welcomed option? Looking forward to your stories.

Sally